The cutaway drawing and its artists

Originally posted by Tony Matthews A big shout going out, as an annoying youth used to say on Capitol Radio, to all of you who have commented on technical illustration, particularly regarding competition cars - all very interesting. I'm also happy to announce that , yes, I am still alive, living in Hitchin, Herts, U.K., just finishing a kitchen and bathroom extension for a customer, still got 90% of my artwork, including all the Motoring News stuff, when I have more time I will re-read your comments and if necessary answer any queries. I am surprised to find that, fired by so many positive comments about the art, I am still passionate about it. TTFN

A very warm welcome from a fan Mr.Matthews !!!

I am the proud owner of quite a few of your works, as well as a lot which were published in magazines.Your art has made motor racing so much more interesting.

p.s. I am rude enough to suggest that I hope you get a scanner soon to share some of your finestwork with us {:-))

Originally posted by Tony Matthews A big shout going out, as an annoying youth used to say on Capitol Radio, to all of you who have commented on technical illustration, particularly regarding competition cars - all very interesting. I'm also happy to announce that , yes, I am still alive, living in Hitchin, Herts, U.K., just finishing a kitchen and bathroom extension for a customer, still got 90% of my artwork, including all the Motoring News stuff, when I have more time I will re-read your comments and if necessary answer any queries. I am surprised to find that, fired by so many positive comments about the art, I am still passionate about it. TTFN

Glad to learn you are around making noise in good shape. I would be the 1rst of a -wonder very long- waiting list for a portfolio of your splendid cutaways.

Hello and thankyou to all who've welcomed me to TNF, I've never been much of a joiner of anything, in fact when I used to exhibit at various race meetings with a host (gaggle?) of motoring artists I was apparently known as 'The Man of Mystery', because I would bang up six, 12 or 18 cutaways in the time it took some of them to screw some eyes into a frame, disappear for three days then reappear and do the whole thing in reverse! This time, however, I feel a shared interest, if not a kinship.... Nurse!

Originally posted by Tony Matthews Hello and thankyou to all who've welcomed me to TNF, I've never been much of a joiner of anything, in fact when I used to exhibit at various race meetings with a host (gaggle?) of motoring artists I was apparently known as 'The Man of Mystery', because I would bang up six, 12 or 18 cutaways in the time it took some of them to screw some eyes into a frame, disappear for three days then reappear and do the whole thing in reverse! This time, however, I feel a shared interest, if not a kinship.... Nurse!

Good to see you on here Tony.

When I was at college in Luton in the early 70's I'd pick up Autosport and Motoring News every thursday and your cutaways from MN were instantly stuck up on the wall above my desk. I think the head of my course Mike Wrigglesworth had some connection with you previously as he tended to have a look at them and give the odd comment. "Tony's brilliant - but so much attention to detail - every nut and bloody bolt!".

Mind you, once in a still life class of flowers, he accused me of drawing a Formula 1 Petunia

The cutaway business is a bit dead at the moment which is a shame. The computer generated stuff is so impersonal.

Hi Alan, I have been meaning to contact you to check, as I suspected, that you were refering to Mike Wrigglesworth. I was at Luton Tech on a day-release course from '61 to '66 and Jim Allington insisted I did life drawing for the first three years. After that I think he felt that it made more sense to have me at the studio working overtime! Did you know Paul Castle? He worked for Jim too, and contacted me just a few weeks ago and gave me Mike's phone number, I've yet to use it.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, if there's a nut and/or a bolt anywhere I'm going to draw it!

I agree about the computer-generated illustrations, one of the problems seem to be that they only go down, or through, one level, i.e., ghost the bodywork over the chassis but don't go through the chassis to show the pedals , master cylinders, etc. The best I've seen was a recent Audi Le Mans winner, very slick. However, Riccardo commisioned me to do a cutaway of the gearbox, I hear they were pestered by the design staff at Audi for a stack of prints, which is nice - pity they couldn't show their appreciation by asking me to do the car....Ho hum. In 2003 or 4 I turned down the chance to do the winning Bently, but I'd already made up my mind to quit, so bit the bullet.

TOM! Sorry, I've only just seen your message! Well, you've lasted longer than I did, but the U.S had, probably still has, a much greater interest in all types of illustration, and respect for the illustrators. They'll miss us when we're gone - he said, not really believing it!

Beware the backside of a horse, the frontside of a parson and all sides of a woman. Anon, sensibly.

Tony, are you aware that Peter Elleray has a very keen interest in the history of the sport and that he posts regularly on this forum?

Yes top bloke that Elleray...

Hi Tony and Bonde ..

Tony, i think that my friend and former colleague at Bentley Gene Varnier tried to put the exp8 deal together, is that right? Gene lurks and posts here aswell btw.

Like many others here i think i have most if not all of Tony's cutaways from the 70's, all filed away neatly in an oversize A3 clear plastic binder, i look at them quite often.. another important part of my eductation in how real race cars were nailed together when they appeared in Motoring News and MotorSport in the 70's - along with the Tamiya 1/12 scale models !

Having the legendary Mr Mathews do a cutaway of the Bentley would have been quite an honour, sadly not to be....

I was told some years ago that Theo page was the first person to do cutaways,is this correct,i ask this as i have one,it is a cutaway of The SPEED ENGINE,a 2 1/2 litre grand prix engine,designed in 1952 and built in 1953,by leslie brooke of ERA ,when leslie johnson was owner of the ERA co in dunstable,they were going to build a grand prix car together.The engine was built but the car was still born,as johnson had a heart attack and sold the ERA co to the zenith carburator co, who sold it to the Bristol co.anyone interested ,does anyone know if this was Theos first cutaway.martyn.

Hello Peter,
Very sorry not to have drawn your lovely car, I have always admired big sports cars, not least because they fill the page more - as nature abhores a vacuum, so I no like white paper! However, I will promise never to miss-spell Bentley again if you will do the same for Matthews.....

I must contact Gene, last time I saw him he was walking down a narrow street in Hitchin looking for a Chinese restaurant - he was on some computing course locally, I think. He treated me to some fried rice, probably at your expense!

Bonde old chap, the missus may be in sunny Bergerac, but I've spent all day loading and unloading my van (5 cylinder turbo-diesel!) in the drizzle, all the while wondering if I can justify an Epson V750. What I really want is one that will take 20"x30" board, you can't wrap my artwork around a drum-scanner!

Originally posted by martyn chapman I was told some years ago that Theo page was the first person to do cutaways,is this correct,i ask this as i have one,it is a cutaway of The SPEED ENGINE,a 2 1/2 litre grand prix engine,designed in 1952 and built in 1953,by leslie brooke of ERA ,when leslie johnson was owner of the ERA co in dunstable,they were going to build a grand prix car together.The engine was built but the car was still born,as johnson had a heart attack and sold the ERA co to the zenith carburator co, who sold it to the Bristol co.anyone interested ,does anyone know if this was Theos first cutaway.martyn.

Loenardo, yes, but I've seen photo's of cave paintings in France, very, very old, and one of the bison has the ribs showing...

I was wondering what size scanner you could get away with - but will an Epson V750 accomodate a 20" x 30" original?

(I know - I'ts way past my bedtime, I'd best be turning in now...)

Hi Peter,

I think there must be numerous cases of young gents, many less young now lurking here, priming their interst in racing vehicle design courtesy Tony's magnificent cutaways and Tamiya's remarkable kits...(count me in - certainly for the cutaways, but I couldn't afford the Tamiya inch-to-the-foot scalers, so I made do with cardboard and various leftovers instead - which compelled me to "design" my models myself...)

I was wondering what size scanner you could get away with - but will an Epson V750 accomodate a 20" x 30" original?

(I know - I'ts way past my bedtime, I'd best be turning in now...)

Hi Peter,

I think there must be numerous cases of young gents, many less young now lurking here, priming their interst in racing vehicle design courtesy Tony's magnificent cutaways and Tamiya's remarkable kits...(count me in - certainly for the cutaways, but I couldn't afford the Tamiya inch-to-the-foot scalers, so I made do with cardboard and various leftovers instead - which compelled me to "design" my models myself...)

The Epson V750 is A4 but also does quality film scans up to 10"x8", and while I have most of my original artwork I also have nearly everything on 10"x8" or 5"x4" transparencies. Overkill, probably, but I'm always looking to the future and any excuse to spend more than I need! Who else would use a Hydrovane compressor with 200 litre reciever to provide 12 to 40 psi to an airbrush? Especially as I've only ever done 7 airbrush illustrations... The fact that it would run 1/2" impact wrench was purely coincidental!

I've only been up for an hour and a half and it feels past my bedtime.

I always felt that doing a cutaway was a bit like two-dimensional model-making - if you look carefully you will see that, on the colour artwork, where there is no ghosting, you could cut the full-size bodywork in the same way and it would, although a bit wobbly, hold together. I made the Tamiya Ferrari 312T cut away as my MS illustration, and it worked. Gone now, one of the many casualties if three moves in as many years. Don't ask...

Bob Freeman was a feisty fellow. I liked him a lot. At the time of his death, I was preparing an article about him and his work for The Daily Telegraph and I was in the process of negotiating a special offer on a series of prints. Bob was enthusiastic about the idea. He was surprisingly modest about his own work, and highly admirative of Tony Matthews. I'm not sure what he died from, but what a loss...

Originally posted by P. Dron Bob Freeman was a feisty fellow. I liked him a lot. At the time of his death, I was preparing an article about him and his work for The Daily Telegraph and I was in the process of negotiating a special offer on a series of prints. Bob was enthusiastic about the idea. He was surprisingly modest about his own work, and highly admirative of Tony Matthews. I'm not sure what he died from, but what a loss...

I had no idea Bob had died - what a shock. We spoke for the first about two years ago, and I intended to chase him up by e-mail. I saw him once when he was a (mature) student - I was taking my children around the Science Museum and there were several students sketching. One slightly older guy was sitting cross-legged on the floor drawing a bit of machinary. Twenty years later I realised it was Bob. He studied with Jim Allington's daughter Sophie, who did botanical and zoological illustration.

I take it that P. Dron is the brother of T.Dron, who, I think, became an automotive journalist through a chance meeting (hitch-hiking?) with David Phipps - who acted as Jim Allington's agent for some time.

Just checked the Bob Freeman website, very moving, and I was wrong about when we spoke on the phone, must be more like 5 years ago.As the years go by you have to make more of an effort to keep in touch with people, they have a habit of disappearing.

As to your brother, I may have miss-remembered what Jim told me, there certainly was a hitch-hiker, but it may have been when DP was driving a brand new Morris 1100, he asked the h-h to drive this thing of beauty around a car park so he could get his action shots.

Very tall, Mr Phipps, and Jim told me once that DP and Dan Gurney tipped up at Lotus in Delamare Road, their combined height and aura contributing to the collapse of a receptionist.

Happens to me all the time.

If anyone thinks I'm skiving, I'm inbetween jobs and looking after a kidney stone. This hasn't prevented me from buying a scanner, but I feel a little aprehensive posting work, it smacks of vanity publishing.

What I was trying to say was that it obviously wasn't T.Dron but some innocent student.

You are tall too, I'm 6'4", my son is over 6'6". I have met Tony on occasions, I think he was a sometime participant in the Johnson's Wax Euro Trophy, run (over here) by Nick Brittan, but I can only remember him at the Les Rangier hill climb. How he got in a FF I dont know, although he has Mick Jagger's hips - I' a bit broader!

Hi Tony - welcome to TNF - here's another old lag delighted to see you posting here. How are the hands? I have a long list of cars - and aircraft - I would love you to cut away, perhaps we need to find a sponsor?

Originally posted by martyn chapman I was told some years ago that Theo page was the first person to do cutaways,is this correct,i ask this as i have one,it is a cutaway of The SPEED ENGINE,a 2 1/2 litre grand prix engine,designed in 1952 and built in 1953,by leslie brooke of ERA ,when leslie johnson was owner of the ERA co in dunstable,they were going to build a grand prix car together.The engine was built but the car was still born,as johnson had a heart attack and sold the ERA co to the zenith carburator co, who sold it to the Bristol co.anyone interested ,does anyone know if this was Theos first cutaway.martyn.

In fact, the cutaways published in Speed were from the frenchman "Gedo", pen name of Gedovius.Redde Caesari quae sunt Caesaris!

If you have clicked on 'copy', the URL will be in the "memory" of your PC - now go to your post at Atlas (or, open a new one, the same way you post any other time), and right-click into the big field under 'Your reply:' (where else you type your posts), now you can click on 'paste' and voil√†, hopefully the URL will appear. 'Submit Reply' and ready!

Originally posted by Tony Matthews Hello Peter, Very sorry not to have drawn your lovely car, I have always admired big sports cars, not least because they fill the page more - as nature abhores a vacuum, so I no like white paper! However, I will promise never to miss-spell Bentley again if you will do the same for Matthews.....

I must contact Gene, last time I saw him he was walking down a narrow street in Hitchin looking for a Chinese restaurant - he was on some computing course locally, I think. He treated me to some fried rice, probably at your expense!

Bonde old chap, the missus may be in sunny Bergerac, but I've spent all day loading and unloading my van (5 cylinder turbo-diesel!) in the drizzle, all the while wondering if I can justify an Epson V750. What I really want is one that will take 20"x30" board, you can't wrap my artwork around a drum-scanner!

Hi Tony (surname with two t's..)

Actually hadn't spotted the missing 'e' in Bentley .... I did hear the Hitchin story from Gene pretty much exactly as you tell it at the time, this was when i learnt that you were no longer producing the cutaways. I would be fascinated to know what sort of access you were given to the cars you detailed, and when this began to disappear. I think i have some understanding of the techniques you use but would be very interested to hear about it directly - any chance of that?

If anyone thinks I'm skiving, I'm inbetween jobs and looking after a kidney stone. This hasn't prevented me from buying a scanner, but I feel a little aprehensive posting work, it smacks of vanity publishing.

You must be a handsome devil then Tony ;)

as for vanity publishing, how about very much appreciated publishing...you are among friends...post away (but get well first).

Well, I've had some Glenfiddich, Dicloflex 50 mg, Trimethroprim 200 mg and a lump of Cheddar cheese and feel much better.

I said a while ago that I thought of cutaway illustrating as more two-dimensional model-making, and here we have, missing only the sprue, a kit of parts to turn a Penske PC 26 from Super Speedway set-up to Road Course/Short Oval. With care this can be tacked onto the main illustration almost seamlessly - it would even surprise me how the first illustration 'disappeared' - but care had to be taken when re-photographing it that no shadows were visible. Photoshop became a big help...

It was possible, using this method, to change the complete colour scheme, but it was nerve-wracking, The Penske PC 17 ended up as three diferent cars, Pennzoil, Miller Lite and Marlboro.

I dont understand,i ask a sensible seriouse question about something i was told some years ago ,im so sorry i have got to spell it out for some of you,i was told by the archive department at Lord montagues museum that this theo page cutaway was the first cutaway of a F1 engine ever done,this i think was in 1955 and published in autosport,the reason i ask this question is i own this F1 GRANDPRIX ENGINE and i am allways interested in any information on this 2 1/2 litre twin overhead cam V8,built in coventry in the early 50s. leonardo did not design this one Leslie Brooke did,and he was neither a artist nor a cave man,He was a metal merchant ,an engineer and a racing driver,who raced R7B ERA befour the 2nd worldwar,owned and raced ERA gp2 after the war, and built the brooke spl also,martyn.

Sorry if I offended you, no offence was intended. If the Museum told you that, it may be that they meant that earlier engines would have been called Grand Prix, not F1. Personally I think they were just plain wrong. Cutaways, as part of technical illustration in general, are an old discipline.

Hi Anders, the scans were from Christmas/business cards I used to have printed, about A5, so the scanner had to cope with not only me but a screened image. Didn't get the V750, too expensive.

Chris Nixon wanted the Testa Rossa, DBR1 and TR250 portrayed as they were in their heyday but after a lot of discussion I persuaded him, rightly or wrongly, that it would be very difficult due to the task of finding contemporary info. and more expensive - I think that swayed him! It was decided that I would depict them as they were (1994) and it would explain this in the text. In fact the only big changes were to the DBR1, with the profile of the front wings and wheel arches. Can't believe that it looked better than it does now, though!

Yeah, some of those chassis tubes in the wheelarches were very difficult to place - place precicely - if I could have seen a bare chassis it would have helped, but also the chassis were slightly different car to car I think.

as for vanity publishing, how about very much appreciated publishing...you are among friends...post away (but get well first).

Got it in one, 275 GTB-4, but it's good to have memories.

I went to Bathurst in 1990, helping Bob Holden run a Toyota FX that he'd bought from Rayscar Engineering, of which I was a director - it didn't last long, the company I mean, but neither did the car as Bob had the centre-lock wheels skimmed to cheer them up, and the central cone was machined at the same angle as the nuts... There is a fleeting shot in the video of the race of the Toyota leaving the track at the Corkscrew, chasing one of its front wheels. But what a great country, I hope you can keep it that way.

Greetings Tony,
"Thank You" for posting some of your work. Being a frustrated artist, I am truly humbled by your efforts. If only I had some Glenfiddich handy. The bar is dry, my three daughters are home & the PMS bubble has burst! The only consolation is watching this thread.
cheers,
Steve

Tony - I really like this picture. Have you ever thought of publishing/selling copies of your draft layouts. I think a lot of chaps would be interested in them.

Different subject: I have enjoyed reading all the replies. Reminds me of a long time ago when taking a bunch of your published illustrations to college and telling the counselor that this was what I wanted to do with my life. He replied; "Don't waste your time son, Artists are all broke and alcoholics". So I said......."So tell me something bad about it".

fines, see what you have unleashed now...Your instructions were precise and logical, thanks.

Hi Tom, thanks again, and Steve - if men suffered from PMS the World would be in a constant state of war. Actually, thinking about it...

Tom, the one thing that the design staff always wanted was prints of the working drawings, a pity I didn't start using this system years earlier, I think the PC17 was the first illustration done completely on draughting film. Just before I decided to quit, worried about the eventual unavailability of non-digital media, I bought a 50 metre roll of film, thinking - that'll do 50 cutaways - I've still got, I think, lurking in a corner.

They'd be cheap to print... but not enough interest, I fear.

Steve, I photographed the Testa Rossa at Leguna Seca in '94, it was Pete Lovely's car. What a great circuit in a terrific part of the world. I saw (on TV!) the MotoGP from there a few weeks ago. Outstanding, a pity that tussle for the lead ended early - for thrills it was head and shoulders above Hamilton v Raikkonen at Spa, and that had me on the edge of my seat - well, metaphorically, in fact I had adopted the F1 position, supine on the sofa, hands and feet twitching.

I went to Bathurst in 1990, helping Bob Holden run a Toyota FX that he'd bought from Rayscar Engineering, of which I was a director - it didn't last long, the company I mean, but neither did the car as Bob had the centre-lock wheels skimmed to cheer them up, and the central cone was machined at the same angle as the nuts... There is a fleeting shot in the video of the race of the Toyota leaving the track at the Corkscrew, chasing one of its front wheels. But what a great country, I hope you can keep it that way.

Thumbs Up Tony

I watched young Bob today at Phillip Island Victoria in the BMW MINI Challenge....76 in December and still peddling fast cars. A god amongst classic Mini fans in Australia for winning the Bathurst 500 miler with Rauno.

Oh dear...wheel problems at Bathurst...the last place you want that to happen!

It is a great country (a long way from anywhere however),,,try and get over here again for some Historic racing

It's great to have a National Institution like Bob, makes the rest of us realise that you don't have to STOP!

The Bathurst bash happens roundabout my birthday, and every year I think - could I? - but then a glance at my bank statement tells me no, but I'd love to walk up Mount Panarama again, past the encampments made solely of empty tinnies, whilst trying not to look too-obviously English. Perhaps holding a bar of soap would be a good disguise!

Originally posted by Tony Matthews It's great to have a National Institution like Bob, makes the rest of us realise that you don't have to STOP!

The Bathurst bash happens roundabout my birthday, and every year I think - could I? - but then a glance at my bank statement tells me no, but I'd love to walk up Mount Panarama again, past the encampments made solely of empty tinnies, whilst trying not to look too-obviously English. Perhaps holding a bar of soap would be a good disguise!

Soap??? you know about that in the Old Dart!!

Whilst the V8s get most of the coverage internationally...there was a quiet revolution this year...a mostly historic meeting at the mount in Easter where 500 competitors attended (hint, hint) and there is always the magnificent historic meeting at the island around about the same time ;)

Totally agree with your sentiments about Bob, but alas, his status here is a little off the radar generally speaking for the mainstream media, you know, the ones just out of Uni with a degree :rolleyes.... I often wonder how Rauno Aaltonen is considered in Finland (you know, that little country were John Cleese was born!!)